Distressing after busy school days

Category: EDCI 336 (Page 1 of 2)

This is a category for the EdTech course. Please add this category in addition to the relevant edtech assignment category(ies).

Minor set back for the week

This past week I had a minor set back in my free Inquiry because I had a concussion. I had hit my head on the metal squat rack bar and unfortunately just hit it in the right spot and way too hard : ( I have spent that last few days laying in my bed starting at the ceiling… how exciting!!! Thankfully, I am feeling a bit better and am hoping to get back into the gym again and get back to my normal day to day life!

Distributed Learning – Week 10

Today in Tech we spoke about the positives and negatives of distributed learning and how we personally feel about online university. I thought this was quite a valuable conversation because it is something we are all going through right now. I do feel like there are positives, as it is a more relaxed way of learning that allows for more flexibility and leeway in our learning. However, I am not a huge fan of distributed learning because of how mentally draining it has become. I find it extremely difficult to be on my computer 24/7 as it takes a lot of energy and makes you feel quite drained at the end of the day. I also find that distributed learning is quite busy, I often feel overwhelmed because there is so much stuff going on all the time and it is hard to keep track of all your assignments, lectures, and tests.

I think that during these times it is incredible that we were able to continue our studies and that we have the technology to do so, but I do feel that the quality of classes in person is something that you can’t replicate online.

We also spoke about ways of presenting distributed learning other than zoom. We spoke about bright spaces, Moodle, Blackboard, Teams ect. as other options to share learning and classes online. I found this interesting as a teacher because I did not realize that there are so many different ways and websites that offer an online learning experience. It is important although a year ago we would have never though this is something we need to learn, we as teachers need to be informed about distributed learning as we may or may not have to implement it into our teaching one day if a similar situation was to arise. I think it is also important to learn because regardless of a pandemic or not, I think parts of education will still continue to be online. Because of all this technology we have started to use and uncover we will be able to use it when students are at home sick, or unable to attend to class and need to hear the information that was lectured.

Overall it is honestly incredible how far technology has come and how we were able to continue our studies online. I have enjoyed my time online although at some points it was proven to be difficult, I would have much rather participated in distributed learning than taken a year off.

I am beyond excited to return to in person classes while still continuing to explore the online learning experience and how I will be able to implement aspects of it into my own teaching.

Tracey Humphries – BCEdAccess

This week we had Tracey Humphries from BCEdAccess come to our zoom meeting to speak about technology and the use of technology in the special needs and alternate learning pieces of education. I found this a really important and engaging conversation as I personally see and agree with the implementation of technology to aid those who may need extra assistance in the classroom. My mom who is an Educational assistant at my former high school works with many students who use technology everyday as a means of helping them get through the school day. I have spent quite a lot of time down in our special education classroom and have had the opportunity to see some of these types of technology and how beneficial they are to the students using them. My mom works with one non-speaking boy, who uses an I pad to communicate his needs and wants to his EA. I think this is such an amazing tool for in the classroom because it allows for him to have the opportunity to communicate and speak without actually speaking. It is incredible to see how far technology has come, as we were discussing in my breakout room, there was no way this type of technology would be able to be used in the schools even 10 years ago, so it is so special that we are able to use it today. That being said I feel as though we need to provide these students with more equipment and technology resources for them to use at school. The budget for these types of programs and resources is usually minimal, but I believe that there needs to be more emphasis on how important this is and how useful it is to have technology available for these students to use on a daily basis at school.

Video Exploration!

This week In EDCI 336 we explored how to use videos to our full advantage in class. We leaned what a great tool they are, and how we can use them and customize the settings to best suit what we are aiming to do with the video. We talked about different types of educational videos and how they are useful when implemented into the classroom. I loved reflecting on this because there were so many examples I could think of that are videos that have stuck with me throughout my education career. One in particular that came to me right away are the Amoeba sister videos for learning biology; these are a series of YouTube videos that breakdown all the basic and complex information in bio by explaining it in fun and new ways. I have attached a Link to the videos home page!  http://www.youtube.com/user/AmoebaSisters

We also spoke about how we can change the setting on videos such as turning on and off subtitles, slowing and speeding up videos and much more. I found this helpful because sometime we need to accommodate for students needs which may mean attending to whether or not they can hear the video and if it is too fast. This gives all students an opportunity to learn in a way that works best for them!!!!

Better weather calls for outdoor activities!

This week because the weather has improved greatly, I have been able to spend way more time outside! One of my friends and I have made it our mission to try and discover or visit a new beach every week and add it to a running list we created 🙂 It has been super fun and a wonderful way of getting out and exploring Victoria and getting some Fresh air. I love having an escape and being able to leave and go somewhere for a bit to get a break from all the chaos and business on campus!

I have also been able to spend more time outside going for walks, playing frisbee golf, and playing spike ball! I am super excited about the change in the weather because I have been dying to just get outside and play!

I forgot how much fun something as simple as throwing a frisbee can be, it is such a good mental break in-between classes and such its super fun 🙂

I am excited for the week ahead and am hoping Mother Nature decides to keep up this amazing weather!

I have attached some of the beautiful photos I took the other week at Holydene Beach in Victoria

New hobby – Frisbee golf!

This reading week I was able to get out and do some more de-stressing activities which were much overdue!

I have recently began frisbee golfing and I am really enjoying it! I went and played in Langford one time before but this time Anna (also in this class) and I went to the Interburan Camosun Campus and played there! Since it snowed last week it was quite muddy but it was super duper fun still! I really am enjoying it because it is a fun way to get outside and its something a little more entertaining than a walk or a hike. I am not much of a walk person because I find myself bored, I have wayyyy too much energy and need some form of game or something to play to keep me entertained! I am really excited that I got into this because at home my Uncle plays in Rossland all the time! I am looking forward to going and playing with him in the summer. But first… I need a lot more practice 🙂

 

 

Photo by Braxton Apana on Unsplash

Photo by  Josh Calabrese on Unsplash

 

Jeff Hopkins – The Pacific school of Innovation and and Inquiry.

Jeff Hopkins is the founder and principal of The pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry right here in Victoria. I think this is something so special that we are able to have here on the island and I am super excited we get to have the opportunity to learn how the school is operated and its focus for the learners within.

I agree with Jeff’s ideas that inquiry is an effective way of helping students learn in an environment that provides them with adequate learning and resources for their own proficiency level and learning that aligns with their own personal interests. I think that inquiry allows the students to really deepen their understanding because they are genuinely interested in what they are learning about. Inquiry has the power to diminish that act of laziness and disinterest that is difficult to overcome in high school.  You typically either get learners who are beyond interested and so in tune with their learning that they are more focused on marks rather than the actual content and if they are even interested in the learning, and then you get the students who just are completely checked out and do not want to be there because they are uninterested in the content.

I also really like the way this school is set up. It is not like a typical busy high school. It has space and places that allow your creativity to flow in a safe and welcoming environment. I think this is really important in an inquiry based setting. We as teachers in places like PSII need to allow the students their own individual spaces and areas where they can work individually on what they have chosen to work on, rather than seating in a traditional classroom with desks in rows that all face the front of the call. I like this approach to learning because I feel like it provides much more leeway in the learning and also in the ways they choose to go about the learning.

A little inspiration – Where this passion all started

For this weeks post I wanted to talk about the inspiration behind the gym and how I became to be so motivated to keep lifting every day for 3 years.

When I began lifting 3 years ago I started because I had quit swimming and dancing just was not something I was interested in anymore. I am a super energetic person who needs to constantly be moving, playing, even running around so sitting on the couch was driving me nuts! At the time my brother who I looked up to so much was weight lifting and suggested I try going to the gym to stay fit and active. So I did!

I was the type of kid that loved something and wanted it to be my new hobby but it would only stick for a few months or so before I quit, was bored of that and wanted to find something new.

I decided I was going to make the gym “my thing”. My brother often hounded me saying he was going to give it a few months and then I would quit and stop going ….. 3 years later I have gone almost everyday and it has turned into my whole world.

When you become friends with me you quickly realize that going to the gym is my only personality trait and the only thing I talk about 24/7. It makes me so beyond happy and it has become honestly addicting to go into the gym and smash a PR that you have been working so hard to get to.

I went from being a really lanky tall swimming built, to being able to say proudly that I can throw around some weight in the gym. It is amazing to me how much your body can change in 3 years and it brings me so much confidence and joy looking back at old photos of me where I was so tiny! I love the gym because it is a way for me to destress on my own and focus on myself for a little while. It allows me to put aside all the craziness of school and allows me to blow off some stream and do something for myself for a few hours out of the day. I Look forward to it because it allows me to better myself everyday and have a focus and something to work towards constantly. I am a super competitive person so having a chance to compete against myself everyday is right up my alley!

I also have had the chance to make so many amazing friends because of the gym. I have tons of guy friends that I go with and that help keep me motivated and moving forward. We feed off of each-other’s energy and it is honestly contagious. We all push each other to work harder, to hit PR’s and to walk out of the gym everyday knowing that we put 100% effort in.

 

The photos included show the difference between when I first started weight training 3 years ago versus today 🙂

Inquiry Based learning conversion with Trevor

Today in class we spoke with Trevor Mackenzie on the inquiry based classroom. We had a really interesting and valuable conversation in my breakout room about our thoughts on Inquiry in student’s learning. We all agreed that inquiry is great! It promotes discovery and sparks interest in the students’ learning.  If the student gets to choose what they are studying it will be something they are actually personally interested in and therefor become more motivated to learn. We also spoke about how learners like myself may struggle with inquiry as we like structure and “guidelines” when it comes to school. I am very much a learner who needs a clear and precise outline of what is expected to me; sometimes I can become overwhelmed and lost in inquiry just because of the vast interpretations and topics we can discover. I think there is a nice balance like Trevor spoke about between the two where you scaffold the general idea for the students and from there they pinpoint one thing they personally want to explore and learn more about.

Trevor also showed us a great map that featured “the Ten Characteristics of the Inquiry Classroom” This is a great resource as it reminds us as teachers what we are striving to achieve when introducing inquiry based learning into our own classrooms. My group felt like even though we have not had much classroom experience as teacher candidates, there were still characteristics that we recognize and strive to achieve in other fields of work such as camp leaders, dance teachers, and any other job that has to do with children.

I personally really like this map and am going to save it as a resource for me as a teacher when creating a inquiry based environment in my classroom to make sure I am welcoming every student, their ideas, and the exploration of new and old knowledge.

 

Attached map created by: Trevor Mackenzie, Sylvia Duckworth

https://www.trevormackenzie.com

 

Big PR day!!!!!!

I am absolutely beaming today as I hit a huge personal record for myself. Today I was able to pull 225 lbs for 3 reps on deadlifts. I am beyond excited and proud of myself because that is something I never in a million years thought I would be able to accomplish. I tried to pull 225 last week and I failed 3 attempts. Many would think that gets you down, but it did the exact opposite for me. I walked in today absolutely fired up and hungry for that 225. I am also beyond proud of myself because in first year I struggled to get 115 lbs off the ground. Something like this is so humbling to me because my body (especially this year) has helped me reach goals I never imagined I would have been able to hit. This little win has made me absolutely eager to set a new one and defeat that in another 3 weeks. My goal by the end of the semester is to be able to hit 3 plates (315 lbs) for 1 rep. Fingers crossed that all this hard work and trining is going to pay off and I’ll be able to accomplish it!! 🙂

 

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